Do you actually use your Microwave??

Westywoodpecker

I mostly use mine to defrost if I'm honest, but its good to re heat as well. I always use the microwave to heat soup as it's so quick. I've a sore shoulder so having a hot pack when I want is good too!!

puss14

Our microwave died about 2 months ago and originally we were going to replace it as I do find it handy with my OH working late hours to reheat meals etc. Then I read some links regarding the nutrients that are killed by microwaves and decided not to bother replacing it. TBH I didnt grow up with a microwave so I don't mind too much not having one and our last one was my MILs old one and I only used it for occassional reheats and to melt butter and make custard. I haven't really missed it much at all.

LilacLouisa

I have had a microwave (not the same one) for years, and have found them handy, but especially now I am very arthritic. I am finding pans of stuff cooked on the stove are very difficult for me to lift and strain, so to be able to cook/reheat things in the microwave is a boon.

Even a cup of water heated in there for coffee saves me having to lift the kettle, and there are so many different things you can buy to cook your food in which are lovely and light.

For baked potatoes I bought a sort of bag from a woman in America, you put your spuddies in without pricking them (washed first) and they absorb the steam. They are supposed to be just like baked ones, but I think that is a bit of a stretch. They are better than the ones just cooked without being placed in the bag though.

The microwave is also very good for reheating things we have made a largish amount of e.g ratatouille and frozen into portions for one or two.

For me now, I think I would be lost without my micro (totally selfish view I know)

Lily-Lu

We don't have one, and manage fine without. My youngest son works shifts and sometimes goes out with friends after work, so I often don't know when he's due home. I usually plate his up, sit another bowl/plate over the top, and put it in the fridge. When he gets home it's put on top of a simmering pan on the stove to heat through. If it's something that wouldn't be nice being reheated, I don't cook for him, and he makes his own when he gets in (I've got him well trained;))
If occasionally I forget to take meat out of the freezer, it's bagged and defrosted in cold water in the sink. This isn't done for whole birds, or joints of meat, as it would take forever. But smaller amounts defrost quite quickly.

Gopppers

only ever use mine to warm up beans and make poppadoms in (yes it works well)... It just seems like on of those kitchen appliances we feel we need but don't actually use that much!!

cyberbob

puss14 wrote: »

Our microwave died about 2 months ago and originally we were going to replace it as I do find it handy with my OH working late hours to reheat meals etc. Then I read some links regarding the nutrients that are killed by microwaves and decided not to bother replacing it. TBH I didnt grow up with a microwave so I don't mind too much not having one and our last one was my MILs old one and I only used it for occassional reheats and to melt butter and make custard. I haven't really missed it much at all.

Ours died 2 years ago. Not missed it. My MIL keeps trying to get us to buy one. Keeps asking how do you reheat things? we use the oven or hob How do you cook jacket potatoes? We use the oven How do you do you defrost things? We get them out of the freezer in the morning or night before.

I doubt i'd ever get one again. Why clog up my kitchen with a device that you really don't need. What I realised when ours broke was how little it was actually used and the few things that it was used for could be done better with the cooker or with a wee bit of planning

angeltreats

I use mine for softening butter for baking, if I forgot to take it out of the fridge early enough. And I use it for warming milk for bechamel sauce. DH uses it to warm his weetabix (I know, yuck). I use it to heat ready-made custard if I only want one portion. I've used it now and then for sponge pudding. If it broke I don't think I'd bother replacing it as we use it so seldom.

Emm-in-a-pickle

DS uses it most to warm quick snacks. I use it only for scrambled egg or to part bake spuds. These are handy when making a hotpot, slice the part baked spud over the meaty stuff pour a bit of gravy over - they cook crispy in less time in the oven.

dizzyanne

OMG!! I'm so shocked at how little people use their microwaves!! I use mine daily. A big part of it is trying to cut down the massive amounts of gas that British Gas try to insist on charging me :mad: when I know i'm hardly using any :mad: but even before all that I used it a lot. I cook virtually everything in there apart from the stuff that goes in my slow cooker. Big shock!! There's always less washing up involved by using the micro too which is always a plus :j

penelopedee_2

DH uses our microwave for re-heating meals but I don't really use it unless I'm making HM microwave sponge pudding for DS.